Valve system for oil well pump



March 23, 1965 F. A. STREET 3,174,43 7

VALVE SYSTEM FOR OIL WELL PUMP Filed Feb. 28, 1965 FIG. 4

INVENTOR. FREDRICK A. STREET ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,174,437 VALVE SYSTEM FR GIL WELL PUMP Frederick A. Street, Tulsa, Ghia. t Filed Feb. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 261,703 4 Claims. (Cl. 10S-225) This invention relates to a valve system for oil well pumps. More particularly, the invention relates to a valve system for oil well pumps having the characteristic of being substantially lessl expensive to manufacture and assemble than presently used valving systems.

The use of bottom-hole pumps in the oil industry to bring oil to the surface of the earth is well known. Such pumps are ordinarily expensive due to the valving systems presently being used. The type Vof valving arrangement typically utilized in-bottom-hole pumps consists of a cage arrangement constructed of at least two separate components threaded together to hold in between the two components a valve seat on which a valve ball is positioned. The total valve cage assembly is threaded onto a tubular portion of the pump. The sealing of a uid passage around the valve seat is obtained by a pressure fitting between the metal components which means that the pump cage parts must be manufactured to a high degree of accuracy.

Due to the high degree of kaccuracy required in the presently used valving systems of oil wellpumps, the pumps are fairly expensive and, when a pump becomes defective, ,it is pulled from the well and repaired. It has been learned that the expense of repairing a pump typically encountered whenl a pump must be pulled from la well is normally a high percentage of the .total price of a new pump. In many instances the cost of repairing a pump runs 30% to 50% of the original cost of a new pump. In addition, when a pump is pulled from an oil well to be repaired it must be takeninto the repair shop, disassembled, new parts inserted, reassembled, and brought back to the well to be reinserted. This is, of course, time consuming, requiring the well servicing crew to stand-by during the pump repair process.

The novel valving system of this invention permits a bottom-hole pump tor be manufactured at such a relatively small expense that instead of the pump beingrepaired it may merely be thrown away when it is pulled from an oil well in a defective condition and a new pump inserted in its place, all at a cost substantially equal to or less than the cost normally incurred in repairing a pump and at'a great savingin time for the well servicing crew.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a valve system for bottom-holeoil well pumps.

Another object of this invention is to provide a valving system for bottom-hole oil well pumps which is extremely simple to manufacture and install.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved pump member for use with a bottom-hole oil well pump.

These and other objects and a better understanding of the invention may be had byreferring to the following description and claims taken in conjunction with the attached'drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view of a pump of this invention as positioned in "a length of tubing, the pump being show n in two sections with the lower sec-tion broken in two different places. 'A y FIGURE 2 is a plan vie'wkof a pump guide element of the invention. l i

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an isometric view of the valve assembled 3,174,432 Patented Mar. 23,165

in tandem arrangement as utilized in the pump of this invention.

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4 showing details of the construction of the upper portion of :the valve cage member of the valve system of this invention. i

`FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 6 6 of FIGURE 4 showing details of the construction of the lower portion of the valvev cage member of this invention.

This invention may be described as a valve system for a bottom-hole oil well pump. More particularly, but not by way of limitation,'the invention may be described as a valve system for a tubular portion of an oil well bottom-hole reciprocating pump, said valve systern comprising a tubular positioning ring afxed within saidptubular portion, said positioning ring having a at tubular upper surface perpendicular to the axis of`said tubular portion, a tubular valve seat having an external diameter slightly less than the internal diameter of said tubular portion and positioned in said tubular portion against said upper flat surface of said positioning ring, said valve seat having a circumferential gasket groove formed in the exterior cylindrical surface thereof, a gasket in said gasket groove sealably engaging the interior surface of said tubular portion, a valve cage member supported within said tubular portion and against said tubular valve seat, said valve cage member having a tubular base and integral guide portions extending from said base at the exterior circumference thereof and parallel the tubular axis thereof,'said guide portions terminating in inwardly extending ball retaining portions, a valve ball supported loosely within said cage member and in engagement' with said valve seat whereby said ball in its normal position closes said tubular opening in said valve seat, and means of supporting said valve cage member in said .tubular portion and in engagement with said valve Referring rst to the drawings, the valve system of this invention is shown as utilized to 'make up an overall composite oil Well reciprocating bottom-hole pump. The pump is shown positionedwithin a length of tubing 10 as A would occur when .the pump is positioned at the boty barrel 12 of the pump reciprocates up and down by the effect of sucker rods (not shown). Every reciprocating pump has at least two valve systems, one which may be termed an intake 'or standing system and the other an outlet or traveling system. In the pump shown in FlG- URE l the traveling valve system is generally indicated by the numeral 14, is contained in the portion of FIGURE 1l to the left and is completely supported within the traveling barrel 12. The inlet or standing valve system of the pump is indicated generally by the numeral 16 and is'contained in the portion of the drawing to the right. The valve systems 14 and 16 'are substantially identical in their design, each vsystem utilizing the same precepts of 'this invention.

The pump of this invention, as has been previously mentioned, is the traveling barrel type wherein the barrel 12 reciprocates up and down. To eect a pumping action a plunger 18 is supported within the barreland is held in a xed position within the tubing 10. This'fixed position is ordinarily maintained by a hold-down shoe (not shown) which is supported to the tubing such as by means of the threads in a hold-down adaptor 22 afxed to the bottom of the plunger 18. The pump then functions by reciproeation of the barrel 12 about the plunger 18 which is held in a fixed position. Upon upward movement of the barrel 12 the outlet or traveling valve system 14 closes and uid is drawn within the pump through the hold-down adaptor 22, the plunger 18 and the intake or standing valve system 16. On downward movement of the pump the fluid is trapped within the barrel 12 between the valving systems so that the standing valve system 16 closes and fluid is forced upwardly through the traveling valve system 14.

The valving system of this invention is best illustrated in the traveling valve system 14 in the left portion of the view of FIGURE 1. Supported within the barrel 12 is a tubular positioning ring 24. The ring 24 is of an external diameter substantially equal to but less than the internal diameter of the barrel 12 so that it is slidably positioned within the barrel 12. A novel means of supporting the positioning ring 24 in its position within the barrel 12 includes the provision of openings 26 in the barrel 12 where the positioning ring 24 is located. The positioning ring 24 is held in position by welding it to the abrrel 12 at the openings 26. Each opening 26 must be closed completely by the weld so that no fluid leakage occurs. This method of supporting the positioning ring within the plunger is not only highly successful, but extremely economical in that no threaded components are required. It is quickly, easily and simply accomplished, making a fail-proof support in the most inexpensive manner joitining ring 24 has a flat tubular upper surface 28 perpendicular tothe tubular axis of the barrel 12. Positioned against this upper surface 28 is a tubular valve Seat 30. The valve seat 30 lis of a diameter substantially equally t'o but less than the internal diameter of the barrel 12 so as to snugly fit but nevertheless be slidably positionable within the barrelt The valve seat 30 is 'provided with a circumferential gasket groove 32 formed in the exterior cylindrical surface which receives a gasket 24, such as an O -r`ing. By this means, the valvefseat 30 is 'sealed againstl leaka'gebetween it and the barrel tubing 1 0 in a highly inexpensive manner not depending upon the engagement of any type of machined surfaces.

A valve ball 36 is positioned on thee valve seat 30 and has a diameter larger than the internal diameter of the tubular openings 38 in the valve seat so that in its normal position it seats against the valve seat, closing the passage of uid downwardly through the pump.

Supported on the upper surface of the valve seat 30 is a valve cage member generally indicated by the numeral 40. This element of the valving system may best be seen by referring to FIGURES 4, 5 and 6. FIGURE -4 shows a tandem arrangement of the valve system of 'this invention, as shown in FIGURE 1. The cage member 4l) is a unitary element and may be said to consist of a lower tubular portion 42 with upwardly extending integrally formed guide portions 44. Although various numbers of guide portions 44 may be utilized, the preferred embodiment utilizes three as is shown in the drawings. The guide portions 44 terminate at the upward end in inwardly extending ball retaining portions 46. The area within the guide portions 44 of the cage member 40 is preferably substantially cylindrical in nature to loosely receive the ball 36 so that it may rise :and fall from engagement with the valve seat 30 as the 'pump reciprocates. The ball retaining portions 46 at the upward end of guide portions 44 serve to retain the Tball within the cage member 40 and prevent the ball `from engaging and closing the upper lluid passage through the pump. When the barrel 12 is on its downward movement and liuid is :passing upwardly through the '.traiteling valve system 14 staus'ing the ball 36 to be displaced upwardly by the movement of iluid, the ball 36 of each valve engages the ball retaining portions 46 of the cage member 4t) which permits fluid to pass freely around the ball and upwardly out of the pump.

Both the outlet or traveling valve system 14 and the inlet or standing valve system 16 of FIGURE 1, as well as FIGURE 4, discloses the use of tandem valve arrangements. This is optional, however it is the preferred embodiment of construction of the pump of this invention since it secures double protection against valve leakage in the pump. When the tandem system is used, as is shown in the drawings, a second valve seat 30A is positioned within the barrel 12 in immediate contact with the upper end of the valve cage member 40 and a second valve cage member 40A is positioned on the second valve seat 30A. It can be seen that if additional valving is required a still third or fourth valving system may be inserted in tandem arrangement.

To hold the valving system in position a means must be provided for supporting the upper valve cage member 40A in engagement with the valve seat 30A. In the traveling valve system 14 contained within the barrel 12 of FIGURE l, this is accomplished by means of a pump guide member 48 which has a tubular portion 50 extending within the barrel 12 to engage the upper end of cage member 40A and thereby hold the completed valve assembly in position. The pump guide member 48 is provided with a tubular opening 52 by which fluid lows out of the barrel and into the interior of the tubing 10 by which it is carried to tbe surface of the earth. Transverse openings 54 communicate with the tubular opening 52 by means by which fluid passes out of the pump guide member 48.

Integrally formed with the pump guide member 48 is an enlarged guide portion 56. As shown best in FIGURE 2, the guide portion 56 is provided with a multiplicity of spiralled flutes 58. The guide portion 56 is of a diameter slightly larger than the external diameter of the barrel 12 but of smaller diameter than the internal diameter of the tubing It). Guide portion 56 is preferrably of a hardened material to engage the interior of the tubing 10 as the pump is reciprocated. This serves to keep the pump aligned and prevents portions of the pump from Wearing by engagement with the tubing 10.

The pump guide member 48 is exemplarly of a means of holding the components of the valve system assembled in a unitary manner within a tubular portion of the pump.

The intake or standing valve system of the invention is shown in the right hand portion of FIGURE 1. It is substantially identical to the traveling valve system 14, except that it is a part of the tubular plunger 18 and is held in a steady position within the tubing 10. A further distinction is that in the valve system 16 each end of the assembled valve system is held in place by means of a tubular positioning ring 24.

The pump guide member 48 is preferably provided at its upper end with a threaded portion 60 to receive a string 'of sucker rods extending to the surface of the earth by means of which the pump is reciprocated.

The standing valve assembly, as has been previously mentioned, is positioned within the plunger tube 18. A standing tube 62 extends from the hold-down adaptor 22 to the plunger tube 18. The standing tube 62 is welded at its upper end to the plunger 18. After the insertion of the standing tube, having the plunger 18 affixed, into the barrel 12, a plunger retainer member 64 is welded to the end of the barrel 12 to prevent the plunger 18 from being dropped out of the barrel as the pump is lowered into a well. The plunger retainer is also utilized when the pump is pulled from a well to unseat the pump hold-down (not shown) from the tubing 10.

The valving system of this invention is utilized in any tubular portion of an oil well pump. In the traveling valve system 14 the tubular portion is the upper end of the traveling barrel 12 and in the standing valve system 16 the tubular portion in which the valve system is located is the plunger tube.

This invention provides an arrangement wherein an extremely simple yet completely sturdy and highly serviceable bottom-hole reciprocating pump for oil wells may be constructed. It is noted that all of the fittings making up the pump are welded in position so that the amount of machining is reduced to an absolute minimum. The valve system is designed so that no close tolerance machined fitted parts are required, 'other than the fitting of the balls 36 into the seating surfaces of valve seats 3). The pump of this invention may be manufactured for a cost approximating that normally required for the disassembly, repair and reassembly of a typical oil well bottom-hole pump using all threaded ttings. The novel valving system provides a leak-proof arrangement eliminating the requirement of all threaded fittings and machined surfaces.

Although the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is manifested that many changes may be made in the details of construction and the arrangement of components without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

What is claimed:

1. A valve system for a tubular portion of an oil well bottom-hole reciprocating pump, said valve system comprising:

a tubular positioning ring aliixed within said tubular portion, said positioning ring having a ilat, tubular, upper surface perpendicular to the axis of said tubular portion;

a tubular valve seat having an external diameter slightly less than the internal diameter of said tubular portion and positioned in said tubular portion against said upper iiat surface of said positioning ring, said valve seat having a circumferential gasket groove formed in the exterior cylindrical surface thereof;

a gasket in said gasket groove sealably engaging the interior circumference of said tubular portion;

a valve cage member supported within said tubular portion and against said tubular valve seat, said valve cage member having a tubular base and integral guide portions extending from said base at the 5 exterior circumference thereof and parallel to the tubular axis thereof, said guide portions terminating in inwardly extending ball retaining portions;

a valve lball supported loosely within said cage member and in engagement with said valve seat whereby said ball in its normal position closes `said tubular opening in said valve seat; and

means of retaining said valve cage member in said tublar portion and in engagement with said valve seat.

2. A valve system according to claim 1 wherein .said tubular portion has openings therein where said positioning ring is located and wherein a means of aiiixing said positioning ring within said tubular portion includes welding said positioning ring to said tubular portion through said openings therein, said openings being completely welded closed to prevent the passage of lluid therethrough.

3. A valve system according to claim 1 wherein said means of retaining said valve cage member in said tubular portion and in engagement with said valve seat includes;

a pump guide member, said guide member having a tubular portion thereof extending into said tubular portion of said pump to engage said valve cage member, said pump guide member affixed to said tubular portion such as by welding.

4. A valve system according to claim 3 wherein said pump guide member includes an upper enlarged cylindrical guide portion having a multiplicity of spiralled flutes formed in the circumferential surface thereof. 35

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,796,455 Gunn et al. Mar. 17, 1931 4() 2,948,231 Hart Aug. 9, 1960 2,991,724 Crowl July l1, 1961 3,059,667 Coceano Oct. 23, 1962 

1. A VALVE SYSTEM FOR A TUBULAR PORTION OF AN OIL WELL BOTTOM-HOLE RECIPROCATING PUMP, SAID VALVE SYSTEM COMPRISING: A TUBULAR POSITIONING RING AFFIXED WITHIN SAID TUBULAR PORION, SAID POSITIONING RING HAVING A FLAT TUBULAR, UPPER SURFACE PERPENDICULAR TO THE AXIS OF SAID TUBULAR PORTION; A TUBULAR VALVE SEAT HAVING AN EXTERNAL DIAMETER SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE INTERNAL DIAMETER OF SAID TUBULAR PORTION AND POSITIONED IN SAID TUBULAR PORTION AGAINST SAID UPPER FLAT SURFACE OF SAID POSITIONING RING, SAID VALVE SEAT HAVING A CIRCUMFERENTIAL GASKET GROOVE FORMED IN THE EXTERIOR CYLINDRICAL SURFACE THEREOF; A GASKET IN SAID GASKET GROOVE SEALABLY ENGAGING THE INTERIOR CIRCUMFERENCE OF SAID TUBULAR PORTION; A VALVE CAGE MEMBER SUPPORTED WITHIN SAID TUBULAR PORTION AND AGAINST SAID TUBULAR VALVE SEAT, SAID VALVE CAGE MEMBER HAVING A TUBULAR BASE AND INTEGRAL GUIDE PORTIONS EXTENDING FROM SAID BASE AT THE EXTERIOR CIRCUMFERENCE THEREOF AND PARALLEL TO THE TUBULAR AXIS THEREOF, SAID GUIDE PORTIONS TERMINATING IN INWARDLY EXTENDING BALL RETAINING PORTIONS; A VALVE BALL SUPPORTED LOOSELY WITHIN SAID CAGE MEMBER AND IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID VALVE SEAT WHEREBY SAID BALL IN ITS NORMAL POSITION CLOSES SAID TUBULAR OPENING IN SAID VALVE SEAT; AND MEANS OF RETAINING SAID VALVE CAGE MEMBER IN SAID TUBULAR PORTION AND IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID VALVE SEAT. 